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Topic: Trout Brook bridge and the thawing (Read 2563 times)

Hello ! What is it whith Trout Brook bridge? On the last pics I saw the brook was awful high and iced over, there were helter skelter big blocks of ice covered with a thick sheet of snow. Now it's Springtime the thawing is starting and I'm worrying a bit about what is going to happen when all those blocks of ice are flowing down the brook and hit continuously the wooden stakes that sustain the bridge.

Alain, I'll attempt to answer your question, hoping that a better informed member will correct me if my answer is wrong.

The bridge rests on two bents, one on each side of the brook. Each bent has 11 vertical piles, to which various horizontal and diagonal wooden structural members are fastened.

But in addition, on each side of each bent--upstream and downstream--a pile called a batter pile is driven into the ground at a small angle away from vertical, so that the point where the batter pile enters the ground is a little further away from the vertical piles than the top of the batter pile is.

I think the angle from vertical is about the same as the legs of a man would have if he's standing with his feet about 1/4 to 1/3 of a meter apart. I believe the batter piles, especially the ones on the upstream side of the bridge, are intended to absorb the impact of ice or other objects flowing downstream, and thus protect the bents.

Hello Steve, Thank you so much for your clear and precise explanations. I've looked at the pics taken during the building of the bridge bents again and all due to your explanations I've spotted the batters piles and understood their usefulness. They look sure enough sturdy but then again the photos of the bridge bents surrounded by those big blocks of ice were awfuly impressive. Have a nice day!

The museum's bridge inspector looked at the bridge after the ice jam and has told the museum were to install more bracing and to do other finishing work. This will be done during low water season or sooner.

Adding to Dwight's comments regarding the bridge inspector:- He is a well-respected bridge inspector known for his work throughout New England. (Incidentally, I saw his business referenced in article regarding the closure of a wooden road bridge over railroad tracks on Cape Cod.)- He noted that the ice posed no immediate threat to the bridge.- The work he recommended was already scheduled to be completed this season.